The Ostrava basin connected with the south by the narrow corridor of Moravská brána (the Moravian Gate) and opening towards Polish lowlands, lined by edges and eastern parts of Hrubý Jeseník (the Hrubý Jeseník Mountain Range), Nízký Jeseník (the Nízký Jeseník Mountain Range) and Oderské vrchy (the Odra Hills), Opavská pahorkatina (the Opava Hills) and Moravskoslezské Beskydy (the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains) – that is the Moravskoslezský Region. It is lined by the Olomouc Region in the southeast, touches the Zlínský Region in the south, borders Poland in the north and the Slovak Republic in the east.

The Region has ranked among the most important industrial areas of Central Europe. However, the Region’s structure of economy is currently causing many problems that relate to its restructuring as well as social issues arisen from the increase in unemployment triggered off by a slow-down in coal mining and heavy industry. In spite of that, the Moravskoslezský Region accounts for about 12% of the national gross domestic product, which is the second highest regional share in the CR, besides the Capital City of Prague with about 22% of the national GDP. In 1997, the purchasing power standard GDP per inhabitant was 59.3% in comparison with the EU average, but a heavy price is paid for this favourable percentage: environmental damage. Polluted had been all components of the environment, but currently the most problematic issues are contamination of soil, environmental burden relating to coal mining and its phasing-out, and the sinking of land caused by the coal-mining activity. Since 1990, a substantial environmental improvement has been observed as a result of the reduction of manufacturing and significant investments into environmental measures.

The Moravskoslezský Region is the most populated Region in the CR (1 278 036 inhabitants), but the number of municipalities (302) places the Region among those with fewest settlements. This fact corresponds to the density of population 230 inhabitants per km², while the national figure is 130 inhabitants per km² (31 December 2000). However, the average cadastral area of municipality is 18.7 km², being thus the second largest among the Regions and by 50% larger than the cadastral area of the average municipality in the CR. Only 1.8% of the Region’s population live in municipalities of 499 inhabitants and under; 12.6% live in municipalities of 500–2000 inhabitants, and 18.7% live in municipalities of 2 000–10 000 inhabitants. Most of the population (67%) live in towns of 10 000 inhabitants and over – such percentage is an exception in the CR. As at 31 December 2000, there were 320 041 inhabitants living in the Region’s capital Ostrava, i.e. about a quarter of the Region’s population.

Regarding population, the basic characteristic of the current situation not only in the Moravskoslezský Region, but also in the whole CR is a low birth rate. The birth rate has dropped to the level, which is the lowest recorded since 1785. The Moravskoslezský Region is experiencing a decrease in population also through emigration (1 794 people in 2000). In spite of this unfavourable trend, the index of seniority (the ratio of 65+ population to 0–14 population) is still in favour of the latter, amounting to 0.71 and ranking the Region second in the CR (the lowest value is reported for the Karlovarský Region).

During the 19^th century, the larger part of the Moravskoslezský Region became one of the most important industrial areas of Central Europe. The core of this area is the Ostrava-Karviná industrial and mining basin that was industrialised in close relation with the exploitation of its raw materials, particularly quality bituminous coking coal, and subsequent development of heavy industry and metallurgy. The Region is the nation-wide centre of metallurgy, producing 100%, 92% and 98% of the CR’s total crude iron, steel and coke outputs, respectively. Moreover, almost the entire output of bituminous coal comes from this area, although the volume of coal brought out on the surface is diminishing. Despite the current slow-down, the above-mentioned branches of industry employ nearly one third of the total number of employees.

The 2000 average gross wage in the Moravskoslezský Region reached nearly the national average, amounting to third highest average gross wage in the CR (more than CZK 13 000 per employee) – after the Capital City of Prague and the Středočeský Region. Drawing an inter-district comparison of the average gross wage, it is rather interesting that while the Ostrava District remains at the top (with only individual city sections o Prague and the Mladá Boleslav District ahead), the second District, Frýdek-Místek, finds itself in about one-third among the CR’s Districts and other Districts of the Region are no higher than in the second half. The Bruntál District ranks even the last but one (under CZK 11 000), with the Karviná and Opava Districts reporting a wage that is higher by CZK 700 only. The distribution of wages among industries is similar to that in the other Regions of the CR, the highest wages being paid in financial intermediation, and data processing, while the lowest in agriculture and forestry, manufacture of textiles, and manufacture of leather and fur.

The industrial structure of the Region is currently causing many problems that relate to the restructuring of the Region and social issues arisen from the increase in unemployment due to the reduction of activities in coal mining and heavy industry. A relatively favourable unemployment rate is reported for the Opava District (10.66%) followed by the Nový Jičín District with two percentage points more; the Frýdek-Místek District goes after (14%). Highest unemployment rates within both the Ostrava Region and the CR are reported for the following Districts: Ostrava (16.59%), Bruntál (17.21%), and Karviná (18.04%) ranking last but one among all the Districts in the CR (according to employment offices data as at 31 December 2000). The total number of the unemployed in the Moravskoslezský Region was 94 609 persons (the unemployment rate 15.13%), of which 11 409 were persons with reduced capacity to work and 12 593 were graduates. Thus, there were nearly 32 job applicants per vacancy in the Region, with nearly 57 job applicants per vacancy in the Karviná District.

When Czechoslovakia divided into two independent countries, the Moravskoslezský Region found itself on the periphery of the CR’s northeast border with Poland and the Slovak Republic, far away from direct contacts with the capital city and with the economic development of the EU advanced countries. Regarding transport infrastructure, it is a great disadvantage that there is no highway network in the Region, although it is needed very much. The transport accessibility will improve significantly after the highway route D47 has been finished. It was commenced in spring 1999 and after completion the route will fulfil one the prerequisites for the Region’s further development. The fundamental routes of the current road network are the following: the international road I/11 (E 75) leading from Opava via Ostrava, Český Těšín to Mosty u Jablunkova, and the international road I/48 (E 462) leading from Nový Jičín via Frýdek-Místek to Český Těšín. Both roads go through the eastern part of the Region, but are in need of further construction works. The railway network includes the European lines E40 and E65 in particular. The situation of the railway network is fairly comparable to that of the road network. However, the Region is linked to the main railway routes much better in view of the high degree to which the railway transit corridor II has been modernised already, which is part of the railway corridor network and of the branch VI b of the multi-mode European transport corridor. The modernisation of the entire track of the railway corridor II will be completed in 2005. The air transport is ensured by the international airport in Mošnov, which is the second busiest airport in the CR.

There are 300 inhabitants per physician in the Region, with the number varying within the range of 220 (Ostrava) to 392 (Nový Jičín). The Region has nearly 3 000 beds available in 23 hospitals and other 3 000 beds in establishments for long-term patients and specialised therapeutical institutions.

A schooling system of good quality can be found in the Moravskoslezský Region. There are nearly 60 secondary vocational schools, nearly 90 secondary technical schools and 40 grammar schools along with three universities – VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, the University of Ostrava, and the Silesian University in Opava – can be found in the Region. The universities comprise 12 faculties and provide study programs for more than 20 000 students. 

The diverse and eye-pleasing scenery of Silesia and northern Moravia is an ideal place for hiking, recreation and therapeutic programs. Beskydy and Jeseníky (the Beskydy Mountains and the Jeseníky Mountains) with a network of sports facilities and hiking trails can provide all you need to enjoy your stay in both summer and winter, the foothills and river valleys offer excellent places for rambling, cycling or agrotourism. A network of cycle paths is being developed with an active involvement of municipalities. The balneological industry is based on the curative effect of iodine-bromine water springs in Spa Darkov with the Institute of Physiotherapy located there too.. Since the early 1990’s there has been a new spa sanatorium in operation in Klímovice situated in architectonically interesting buildings. What is specific to the Region is a rich background for industrial tourism (cf. the Automobile Technical Museum in Kopřivnice, the Railway Coach Museum in Studénka, and the Museum of Mining in Ostrava-Petřkovice).